The quote for this week is inspired by YOU–our incredible members who show up each day to support students and staff with their learning. Thank you for being committed to changing the world one student and one day at a time.
At our AWSP Executive Board meeting this weekend, we will be hosting a small committed group of principals and partner organizations to continue changing the world by envisioning a stronger system of leadership development in Washington. I’ll report
back on that endeavor soon. Or, tune into our Winter Forum next Thursday, January 30 from 4-5:30pm to hear more about it from Dr. Scott Seaman. I’ll also share a legislative update and Dr. Michaela Miller, Deputy Superintendent at OSPI, will
join us to share some updates and answer some questions we've gathered for her (
send us an email to add a question by Monday). There will be breakout sessions for you to attend based on a variety of topics. Register
here
to receive the Zoom link.
The Capitol hummed along this week at a busy clip and it’s hard to believe that this is only the second week of the legislative session. Hundreds more bills were introduced and several significant bill hearings took place. On Wednesday,
four important education funding bills were heard in the Senate Education Committee related to the Big 3 funding priorities (Special Education, MSOC, and Transportation). Thank you to so many of you who took time to sign-in with your support.
For an in-depth look at the Big 3 funding issues, check out the opening week issue of
This Week in Olympia (TWIO) by WASA’s Assistant Executive Director of Government Relations, Dan Steele. You can also read about Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s call for education
funding in his annual
state of public schools address.
Both the House (
HB 1296) and the Senate
(
SB 5181) held hearings on the Parents’
Bill of Rights language that was adopted last spring by the legislature. The intent with both bills (which are different approaches) is to tighten up the language so that it aligns with current state law. Connected to the House bill, and considered
in separate bills in the Senate, are issues related to securing the rights of students to have safe, civil, and respectful learning environments and expanding protections for students to promote inclusivity in public schools.
I testified “pro” for
HB 1285 this week which would make financial education a graduation requirement. This bill was modified since last session and now the process is connected to the State Board of Education’s
Future Ready Initiative which will be a comprehensive look at all graduation requirements. My caution to the House Education Committee
was that this will take concerted time, effort, and support for educators to do this work.
Here is a list of all of the education bills heard this week:
Senate Education
Tuesday
SB 5181 - Amending the parents
rights initiative to bring it into alignment with existing law.
SB 5180 - Securing the rights of students
to have a safe, civil, and respectful learning community.
SB 5123 - Expanding protections for
certain students to promote inclusivity in public schools.
SB 5179 - Establishing a complaint
process to address noncompliance with certain state education laws.
Wednesday
SB 5187 - Providing adequate
and predictable student transportation.
SB 5192 - Concerning school district
materials, supplies, and operating costs.
SB 5263 - Concerning special education
funding.
SB 5307 - Concerning special education
funding.
Thursday
SB 5008 - Supporting the use
of assessment, diagnostic, and learning tools in public schools.
SB 5009 - Modifying the student transportation
allocation to accommodate multiple vehicle types for transporting students.
SB 5120 - Expanding the learning assistance
program.
SB 5177 - Considering the experiences
of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups when identifying professional development resources on certain topics.
House Education
Thursday
HB 1285 - Making financial
education instruction a graduation requirement in public schools.
HB 1289 - Gathering survey information
to improve the public school system.
HB 1296 - Promoting a safe and supportive
public education system.
Bills Being Heard Next Week
House Education
Monday
HB 1079 - Supporting remote testing options for students enrolled in online school programs.
HB 1189 - Addressing parental involvement through volunteering in schools after a criminal conviction.
Tuesday
HB 1450 - Establishing transition to kindergarten programs.
Senate Education
Tuesday
SB 5080 - Making financial education instruction a graduation requirement.
SB 5327 - Concerning learning standards and graduation requirements.
SB 5007 - Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school.
SB 5025 - Concerning educational interpreters.
SB 5235 - Repealing and reorganizing outdated statutes concerning public schools.
Wednesday
SB 5369 - Enhancing youth mental health and well-being through advanced training and expansion of the workforce in schools.
SB 5126 - Establishing a statewide network for student mental and behavioral health.
SB 5270 - Providing mentors to novice nurses in the beginning educator support team program.
SB 5271 - Requiring school districts of the first class to employ a school nurse.
SB 5240 - Concerning anaphylaxis medications in schools.
Thursday
SB 5358 - Concerning career and technical education in sixth grade.
SB 5272 - Improving school safety by extending penalties for interference by, or intimidation by threat of, force or violence at schools and extracurricular activities and requiring
schools to notify the public of such penalties.
SB 5253 - Extending special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22.
Also up next week, the House Appropriations Committee will hear more bills related to the Big 3, the Senate Ways and Means Committee will hear a bill that would consolidate PEBB and SEBB, and the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee
will hear a bill that will prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco and vapor products. It can be overwhelming trying to keep up with all of the bills that are being filed each day and heard each week in committee, but it’s only one
month until the first cut-off date when bills need to pass out of the policy committees. This means my bill tracking list will get shorter after that point because many bills simply won’t move out of committee.
For a complete list of bills that I’m tracking, click here. I tried to organize this a little better for you so you can see the bills that I am following closely and those that I am just monitoring.
Your Voice
Our job is to keep telling our stories about what our students and educators need to create successful learning environments. There are many ways to have your voice heard in order to keep building champions. Check out the “Important Links” below to find out how to contact your own legislators. They care very much about hearing directly from their constituents. When we weigh in as an association, it is helpful and important, but having many of you reach out directly with a short email to legislators can be much more powerful. Find your legislator and email them here if you have any thoughts to share.
Day on the Hill
Many of our Advocacy Advisory Council and AWSP Board Members are planning a visit to Olympia on February 10, 2025 for our annual “Day on the Hill." They will be meeting with their own legislators and perhaps attending some committee hearings. You can get involved by scheduling a virtual meeting with your own legislators that week. More information will be coming soon.
Get Involved
Many thanks for all that you do for students and staff. If you have questions or comments or want to get involved, please reach out to me.
Thank you so much!
